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Publisher’s Message: So Proud of Buzz

Photo by Nancy Jennings. Buzz wins high combined and high triple combined at the Holland Kennel Club Dog Show Memorial Day weekend with perfect scores under judge Karen Anderson.

Buzz and I have had quite the busy couple of weeks at the dog shows and I am running out of words to describe how proud I am of him.

Whether faced with a very loud and challenging environment Memorial Day weekend in Kalamazoo or his handler managing back pain and not at her best in Toledo in early June, Buzz just keeps on nailing his performances for me.

And this is something I will never take for granted. He’s 9 years old now and who knows how much longer he’ll want to play this game with me at the dog shows. Hopefully, for years to come. But I’ll know when he’s had enough because we are a team, and it takes both of us working together to compete.

Photo by Nancy Jennings. Buzz does it again, scoring 299 out of a possible 300 points under judge Diane Allen.

Our teamwork is something that fellow competitors enjoy watching the most. And we work hard at it – training and playing, switching things up to keep it fun for both of us.

Sure, we train and prepare for competition, but there’s a lot more that goes into it. And that starts at home – not just while I’m training, but throughout the day when we’re just hanging out doing nothing.

I make sure that Buzz knows he’s loved every minute of every day. And this has earned me the trust that Buzz has in me. He knows that no matter what else might be going on around him, nothing bad will happen to him if he’s by my side.

Sure, we may occasionally lose a placement on time, but that’s OK – as long as we continue to show together as a team, some days it all comes together, and it’s poetry in motion. I can just feel it. And, usually, the judge’s scores reflect it. 

Photo by Nancy Jennings. Buzz makes it three in a row at the Toledo Kennel Club dog show under judge Sharon Redmer.

He’s already qualified for the 2023 Rally National Championships and depending on where it’s held, maybe we’ll compete again next year.

This year, I chose instead to show closer to home in Monroe the weekend of July 8-10. In conjunction with the Ann Arbor Kennel Club dog shows, there is something called a supported entry show called the Backyard Classic that’s open just to Tollers. I haven’t seen fellow Toller folks in a few years thanks to COVID and I thought Buzz and I would have more fun showing with his ilk. His brother Traveler is expected to be there, too.  

So far this spring, Buzz won all the big ribbons, three shows in a row, as the top scoring high combined and high triple combined dog. And along the way, he scored his fifth perfect score day. On Friday, May 27, he was perfect and on Saturday, May 28, he scored 299 out of 300 total points. That’s 599 total points out of a possible 600 points in two days.

The following weekend we weren’t quite as sharp as my back decided to act badly and I was in quite a bit of pain when we were showing. He scored a 97, 98, 99, which is still pretty terrific. Especially under one of my favorite and super well respected judges Sharon Redmer.

All big ribbons aside, and even more importantly — Buzz is a great pet. He’s always there to comfort me when I’m not feeling 100 percent, and in the show ring he always gives me his 1oo percent. I love you to the moon and back, little buddy.

 

 

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